Carry On Britain

What’s this!? Two posts in as many days? I know! Shocking.

Well this is just a mere scrap. A thought for the day if you like.

A quick trip to that well known search engine brought to my attention that today, 13th April 2011, celebrates 240 years since the birth of the pioneering British inventor and engineer, Richard Trevithick. Famous for many things, but probably most notable for his work on steam engines and boilers. He built the first full-scale working railway engne. On 21 February 1804, the world’s first locomotive-hauled railway journey took place as Trevithick’s unnamed steam locomotive hauled a train along the tramway of the Penydarren Ironworks, near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. God only knows what he must make of the state of the railways these days. He must be turning in his grave! If you are stuck on a train today…raise your paper cup of exceedingly overpriced and under quality coffee in his honour. ttfn.

Well well! What a monumental loss of focus we have had on this very blog. For that we are eternally sorry

In all honestly it’s been a world of change for us. No longer do we brave the murky grey skies of Manchester (although the city is strangely missed), as two of the team moved out into the Peak District countryside and the other two of us have moved down to Nottingham. New jobs, new homes and new places to visit.

Although, this little website has unfortunately been neglected, I have very much been keeping tabs on the plethora of British Made craft and produce to emerge over the last year or so. Read more…

I love a spot of camping (only in the summer though, I am a fair weather camper).

Anorak is a style driven company that produce durable outdoor products for camping and the garden. Born from childhood memories of family camping adventures, Laurie Robertson created Anorak after graduating from her masters in Printed Textiles.

What I love is the simplicity of the designs and the bright bold colours The best thing…It’s all designed and manufactured in Britain. How good is that! big round of applause for Anorak .

Well it had to happen at some point didn’t it!

Unless you’ve had your head stuck firmly in the sand for the last year (and to be honest, with the recessionary doom and gloom – who could blame you), then you will probably have seen the “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters that have been floating around the web.

So the story goes, the original posters were issued by the Ministry of Information during World War II for the purposes of propaganda and to boost morale on the Home Front. Lost for a generation, a copy of the poster was found in an auction along with a load of old books. The lucky buyer put the poster up in their house and got so many compliments that they decided to reproduce it. As the crown copyright had passed, it was fair game for anyone and everyone to start producing them which is why the web is littered with some brilliant (and some not so good) reproductions and parodies.

As we’ve been spending some time recently in a screen printing studio, we decided to put our new-found skills to good use and make our own version – and it seemed pretty obvious that Keep Calm and Carry On Britain should be the message. Read more…

I have had the best Christmas break!

The fella and I have been driving all over Britain visiting family and friends. After Christmas Day in Nottinghamshire and Boxing Day in North Yorkshire, we then drove to Pembrokeshire for my friend’s 30th birthday and New Year’s Eve. It was fab! Pembrokeshire is stunning and I spent a lot of time walking up and down beaches or sat in front of a wood burning stove, eating. The fresh sea air was much needed after the excesses of Christmas and New Year.